Degree-Level Courses 2024

Be more successful. be more at B&FC.

Take your career to the next level with a degree qualification starting this September.

Be more flexible.

You can study here for one, two or three years depending on the kind of degree-level qualification you are looking to achieve. And the best news is you don’t have to make your mind up right at the start. You can commit to just one year at a time. In fact, you can take a break and come back a year or two later. Great if life throws you a curveball along the way.

You can even get a degree-level qualification in as little as 33 weeks. To find out how, just take a look at our course info on page 13.

But flexible study doesn’t stop there. We know that lots of students have work and family commitments too which is why we timetable as many courses as possible in a way which allows people to fit study in with everything else life throws at them.

Be more like Alex.

Alex worked as a chef.

But he dreamt of being an astrophysicist, even though it’s a long way from the kitchen to the stars.

Then Alex lost his father and realised just how short life can be. He enrolled on an access course and then onto an engineering degree.

At B&FC we do degrees differently. So if you think a degree can’t work for you, think again.

Be more focused.

Today we know how important it is to get qualifications that show a real return on investment. That’s why our degree courses are career focused.

With 1800 employer partners to help us cocreate our curriculum and big money spent on continuously improving our facilities, you’ll learn in an environment and use the kind of equipment you’ll find out in the real world, that will allow you to hit the ground running when it comes to employment.

That’s why our graduates are able to compete for some of the best roles in industry. Because being workplace ready is more than just having a few letters after your name.

In his first year, he won a prestigious Business of Science Innovation Award for a machine that clears space debris. Quite a problem according to Alex.

Alex took a leap of faith and now the sky really is the limit when it comes to his career prospects.

at B&FC...

+ Courses taught by industry specialists

+ Work-based learning and excellent industry placements

+ Course content co-created with employer partners to ensure industry relevance

+ Personalised support plan

+ Small, friendly classes with lots of one-to-one help

+ Disability Confident Leader with accessible campuses and tutors to personalise your learning experience

“My degree gave me a thirst for education and learning again. The support from the tutors has been phenomenal.”

Nazya Khalid

+ Options to study for one, two or three years

+ Class attendance from as little as one day a week

+ Flexible timetables so that study can fit around your commitments

+ No upfront fees

+ Up to £10,227 Maintenance Loan (repayable when earning £25k)¹

+ £1,963 Parents Learning Allowance (non-repayable)¹

+ £323 a week Childcare Grant for two or more children (non-repayable)¹

+ £500 Bursary² (non-repayable)

+ 25% Council Tax discount¹

+ A UK Top 15 University degree (awarded by Lancaster University)³

+ One of only three further education colleges in England to be rated Gold for student outcomes, student experience and overall,outperforming some well-known universities⁴

+ 85% of B&FC graduates are in work or further study within one year⁵

+ 38% of B&FC graduates in highly skilled employment are earning £33K or more annually compared to just 23% nationally⁶

+ Ranked in the top 7% of further education colleges in England for student success⁷

Be more secure.

It’s easy to let money worries stop you fulfilling your career ambitions but you might be surprised by how much help is available once you look into it.

Degree student Yvonne certainly was:

“ I couldn’t believe how much funding and financial support I was able to access. In the end it turned out that I was better off than I had been trying to juggle a parttime job and childcare. If I’d only spent some time researching the financial side of things better, I wouldn’t have waited so long to do my degree.”

There’s actually plenty of financial help out there, some of which is non-repayable. And even with the stuff that isn’t, repayments don’t kick in until you’re earning at least £25K.

Student Finance Calculator

Get a quick estimate of what student loans, grants, bursaries and other funding you could get with the Government’s Student Finance Calculator at gov.uk/student-finance-calculator

Be more like Carrie.

Worries about money nearly stopped Carrie from coming to College. She’d just lost her business and cash was in short supply. But it turned out she could access far more help than she’d ever imagined.

She signed up to an Access course and got an Advanced Learner Loan. Then it was on to a degree which she financed by securing a tuition fee loan, getting help with childcare costs and accessing a non-repayable B&FC bursary. Here’s a snapshot of the help she received:

+ A tuition fee loan

+ £1,893 a year Parents’ Learning Allowance

+ Help with childcare costs for her three children

+ A maintenance loan

+ A £500 advantage bursary

+ Free healthy breakfast each morning

What’s more, because she did an Access to HE course, her Advanced Learner Loan was written off once she’d completed her degree.

“ As a mum and a wife, being able to study without worrying about finance took a huge weight off my shoulders and meant that I could really concentrate on my coursework.”

Paying your fees and living expenses

Not accessed a Tuition Fee Loan before? Then applying for finance should be a doddle. You can get funding to cover the cost of your tuition for each year of your course. Apply for it all at once if you know you’re committed to study for a full three years or apply a year at a time.

Need help with living costs too?

There’s a maintenance loan of up to £10,227 per year available. What you’ll get will depend on your personal circumstances but the calculator opposite will give you a good idea.

With nothing to pay upfront and repayments that don’t kick in until you’ve finished your course and are earning £25,000 or more, the money side of things could be a whole lot easier than you might have imagined.

Worried about how much repayments will be once you reach the threshold?

Let’s put that into context...

Non-repayable government financial support

+ Help for those supporting an adult partner or relative Adult Dependants’ Grant up to £3,438.

+ Help for parents

Parents’ Learning Allowance between £50 and £1,963 a year if you’re a full-time student with children.

+ Childcare Grant

Up to £193.62 a week for one child, or up to £331.95 a week for two or more children, if you’re a full-time student and have a child/children under 15, or under 17 if they have special educational needs.

+ Help if you have a learning difficulty, health problem or disability. Disabled Students’ Allowance up to £26,948 a year to help cover the studyrelated costs you have due to a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability.

Non-Repayable B&FC Financial Support

+ Up to £500 with B&FC’s Advantage Bursary

A means-tested bursary of up to £500 to help towards the cost of equipment.

+ Up to £1,000 a year with B&FC’s Access Scholarship

£1,000 a year for a maximum of three years if you’re a care leaver, young carer or estranged student.

+ Hardship Fund

B&FC can access funding for those who find themselves facing financial hardship. This is dependent on exceptional individual circumstances – if you believe this applies to you, speak to one of our friendly and professional advisers.

+ B&FC Opportunity Scholarship

B&FC supports up to five undergraduate students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, covering the cost of tuition fees for up to three years.

Be more supported.

Right from the start our various student support teams provide the wraparound care that makes B&FC such a great place to study. Whether you need help with finances, study skills, careers advice or more, we are on hand to provide the support and guidance you need to achieve your ambitions and make the most of your time at college. Here’s what we offer...

Financial Support

Whilst there’s plenty of financial support out there, we can help you access it. We’re here if you need support filling in forms or to check you’re getting everything you’re entitled to.

Careers Support

We don’t just care about the here and now – we want to help you realise your future goals. Our Careers Team are on hand to give you specialist advice and guidance to improve your career prospects and help you land the perfect role.

Study Skills Support

Our Higher Education Learning Mentors (HELMs) – unique to B&FC – provide one-to-one support in assignment planning, researching, exam preparation, referencing, revision and reflective writing. They will give you all you need to reach your full potential.

Support from Tutors

Our tutors have specialist industry knowledge which means they’re ideally placed to enrich your learning. Along with smaller class sizes which mean you have more one-to-one support, they can provide valuable feedback and give you a real insight into what working in the sector is like.

We actively encourage applications from students who may need additional support to facilitate their learning. This includes students with physical disabilities, sensory loss, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and mental health issues.

All our campuses are wheelchair-accessible and we have specialist teams in place to support a full range of disabilities and learning difficulties. We also have a specialist finance team to help students apply for the Disabled Student Allowance which can currently provide up to £26,948 to cover study-related costs.

Confidence

As well as all the practical support you need to complete your studies, we’ll also give you the tools to build your confidence. Not only will this have a positive impact on your education and career, but will give you the skills to meet life’s challenges head on and help you live the life you want to lead.

Access to higher education

Be more ready.

Bridge the gap

Each Access to HE Diploma is tailored to follow a specific subject area and is a popular route which many learners take to get into university and go on to enjoy successful careers. Whether you’ve just started to plan your future career, or are looking for a career change, Access to HE is the ideal first step to get you started.

Why it pays

You may be eligible to do an Access to HE course for free! If not, you could get an Advanced Learner Loan to cover your course fees with nothing to pay upfront and no repayments until you’re earning at least £25,000 a year. What’s more, the loan is written off if you then go on to complete a degree-level qualification.

If your heart is set on going to university but you don’t have the qualifications or experience, an Access to Higher Education Diploma gets you degree-ready in just one year. Studying at B&FC with access to experienced, specialist tutors and state-of-the-art facilities means you will be exceptionally well-placed to develop the skills and experience you need to progress on the path to your dream career.

Preparing you to go higher

As well as learning subject specific modules, an Access course will build your academic skills and boost your confidence to get you ready for degree-level study. You’ll learn academic skills such as planning, researching and referencing, all of which will make the transition onto an HE programme so much easier.

Preparing for HE courses

Be more prepared.

Our Preparing for HE courses are offered to all HE applicants and are designed to help you acquire the study skills you’ll to get you started on your degree programme.

Over the course of six weeks, you’ll learn all the key study skills you need to begin your course with confidence, including how to use the vast array of resource materials available to you, how to conduct academic research and how to write a degree-standard essay.

Of course, success at university isn’t just about having the practical skills to manage your studies. Issues like managing your time, coping with stress and dealing with life beyond your studies are all part of the programme so that you can start as you mean to go on.

What’s more, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your tutors and fellow students so that come September you’ll recognise a familiar face or two.

Our Admissions Team will be in touch to arrange a place on the most appropriate course.

Being well-prepared means setting off on the right foot. That’s why we offer a range of support to help you get ready to study at degree-level.

Flying Start Workshops

These half-day workshops run just before the start of term and are tailored to different groups of students depending on their experience, background and commitments. For example there are ones aimed at those who have been out of education for a while and others that are focused on students who are planning to work and study at the same time.

The idea of each workshop is to focus on how students can overcome the challenges each of these specific situations presents. For some that might be about how to build academic confidence. For others, it might be about providing specific techniques to improve time management.

Flying Start workshops are very much based on what students tell us they want so whilst we’re busy planning for 2024, you can help us shape our provision by filling in the short form on our dedicated web page at blackpool.ac.uk/flying-start

This is also where you’ll find information on the workshops on offer this September once the details have been finalised.

Be more clued up.

HNCs, FdAs, Cert HEs, HTQs.

The abbreviations seem to go on and on.

It’s not surprising then that people find getting to grips with all the different degree-level qualifications these days a bit overwhelming at first. But honestly, it’s more straightforward than you think.

Like most people, when you think degrees, you probably think of BAs and BScs. We do those here too, but we also do a range of qualifications from Level 4 to Level 6 which allow you to ease yourself in gently to higher level study without committing to a full three years upfront. The table opposite breaks down the qualifications, the length of time each takes and how one qualification follows on from another if you decide to continue. All it means is that you have more flexibility to choose what you want to study and for how long.

Degree

If you’re eagle-eyed you might notice we’ve missed HTQs (Higher Technical Qualifications) off here. Why? Because they get a page all to themselves so if you want to find out more, check out page 12 instead. Year 1

As far as we’re concerned, that’s a good thing.

Be more Party!

When all the hard work is done, there’s nothing we love more than to celebrate our students’ amazing achievements.

Our graduation ceremonies, which take place annually at the iconic Winter Gardens, are truly memorable events.

Here are a few images which capture the celebratory atmosphere on the day and create the moments memories are made of.

Just think, if you enrol on a degree programme with us, it could be you we’re talking about in years to come.

Higher Technical Qualifications

Be more qualified.

Higher Technical Qualifications

HTQs are existing qualifications like HNCs and Foundation Degrees that have been recognised as being high quality technical pathways into a particular career. They are a great way to ensure you’re getting the skills employers want and offer a route into well-paid, secure and sustainable employment.

Why choose an HTQ?

Right now, there are huge technical skills gaps in the UK economy, meaning employers need suitably qualified people more than ever before. Choosing an HTQ means gearing yourself for a career where job openings are plentiful and the opportunity to progress are similarly impressive.

Also, HTQs are often shorter and cheaper than traditional degree programmes meaning your route into well-paid employment is quicker and more affordable too.

What are the benefits of HTQs?

When you study an HTQ, you can be completely confident you’re gaining skills that employers want. They also offer a great deal of flexibility, including the possibility of part-time study which may make it easier for you to work at the same time – something which we know our students often do. They are a great way to continue your studies and get a good job, progress in your current career or retrain for something different which could have better prospects.

Are student finance options available?

HTQs attract the same student finance as degree-level study. This means that if you’re eligible you can access tuition fee and maintenance loans on both a part-time and full-time basis just like any other degree-level programme.

Be more Focused.

Now you can get a degree-level qualification by studying one day a week for just 33 weeksfrom start to finish.

In fact, this time next year, you would have finished your course and could be on your way to further study, a promotion or a whole new career.

These qualifications are really great for those who want to combine work with study as employers are much more likely to accommodate requests to work flexibly if you can minimise the impact on their businesses. Plus if you’re upskilling, it’s for their benefit too.

Modular Acceleration Programmes

degree-level qualifications in 33 weeks!

Courses on offer

+ Children, Young People and families – Cert HE

+ Early Childhood Studies – Cert HE

+ Cyber Security – Cert HE

+ Counselling and Applied Psychology – HNC

+ Hospitality Management – HNC

+ Physical Activity, Health and Leadership - HNC

Be more bold.

Modular learning, where you accumulate credits that eventually add up to a full qualification, is set to become the next big thing in education in the UK. It’s already popular in countries all over the world, giving students greater flexibility when it comes to how, when and where they learn.

If you want to pioneer this approach here and dip your toe into degree-level study but don’t want it to cost you a thing, then one of our new Modular Acceleration Programmes could be for you. Delivered in the evenings, these modular programmes ultimately count towards a full HTQ.

Be more curious.

CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES (University Centre Campus)

COMPUTING AND DIGITAL INDUSTRIES (University Centre Campus)

ARTS - Blackpool School of Arts (University Centre Campus)

CRIMINOLOGY (University Centre Campus)

ENGINEERING (Bispham Campus)

(University Centre Campus)

(University Centre Campus)

Professional Management and Accounting Courses

Be more businesslike.

If you’re ambitious and want to get ahead in your career, you’re in the right place!

Our specialist training courses provide you with the knowledge and skills to develop professionally and could lead to a recognised industry qualification.

AAT Accounting

Our AAT-accredited accounting courses offer professional qualifications allowing you to develop or further a career in accounting. Covering a range of skills from double entry bookkeeping and basic costing principles to using bespoke accountancy software, the courses are taught by highly qualified industry specialists with knowledge of all the latest regulation and legislation within the sector.

AAT is a widely recognised qualification which can ultimately lead to chartered accountancy status and the wealth of opportunities which becoming a professional accountant provides.

cmi Courses

Are you looking to improve your management and leadership qualities? With highly sought after Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accreditation, our CMI courses will enhance your management effectiveness and sharpen your professional edge.

The qualification develops key skills such as managing resources, recruitment and information and gives you the competencies you need to become an effective manager.

CIPD courses

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and development (CIPD) is recognised as a benchmark for professionalism in many personnel, HR and people management roles.

The CIPD qualification introduces candidates to best practice principles to give them the knowledge and skills to become effective people managers. This course is ideal for people who are looking to gain widely recognised qualification to further their career in HR.

Be more SKILLED.

Higher and degree apprenticeships are a high quality alternative to the traditional degree route, combining highly skilled on-the-job training with higher-level study. They are ideally suited to young people who are ambitious academically but want to start their career straight away as well as existing employees who want to progress into managerial roles.

“ Along with the amazing people I met on the course, I learnt more than I expected in many areas of leadership. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and found it very rewarding. This course helped me to understand many aspects of business to a much greater depth. Would I do it again? Absolutely!”

Kelly Fletcher, graduate of CMDA, School Business Manager, Ightenhill Nursery School

83% of chartered managers say they are better managers after achieving chartered manager status *

*Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

A programme built around you

The great thing about an apprenticeship supported by B&FC is that it’s personalised to you. Your apprenticeship is made up of several different elements and each one reflects your individual abilities and career goals.

When you start, we will allocate you a skills coach, who will visit you at least once a month to guide and support you through your programme and help you to plan your future.

Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship

Delivered via your employer, the CMDA offers you the opportunity to gain two professional management qualifications - a Chartered Management Institute Level 5 qualification and a BA(Hons) degree from Lancaster University.

Delivered in conjunction with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the CMDA is designed by industry, for industry. Equipping you with advanced knowledge and skills in management and leadership, the apprenticeship includes work-based learning and professional development.

Contact us on business@blackpool.ac.uk or visit blackpool.ac.uk/hada

How to apply

Choose your course

As soon as you’ve chosen your course you should apply online to secure your place.

Go to blackpool.ac.uk

Select the course you want to apply for and click apply.

Complete the application form

Then wait for our friendly admissions team to get in touch! In the mean time, if you need some help, call them about on T 01253 504 343

Be more certain.

We could say we don’t want to blow our own trumpet, but actually we do.

In fact, we think that being one of only three FE colleges in England to achieve TEF Gold Overall and in Student Experience and Student Outcomes, deserves a fanfare (especially when we’ve outperformed some much more established HE institutions).

And that’s not because of the award itself, but because of what it means for our students.

We don’t want to blow our own trumpet, but actually we do.

In fact, we think that being one of only three FE colleges in England to achieve TEF Gold Overall and in Student Experience and Student Outcomes, deserves a fanfare (especially when we’ve outperformed some much more established HE institutions). And that’s not because of the award itself, but because of what it means for our students.

That, coupled with some fantastic feedback in the recent National Student Survey which canvasses the opinions of students who’ve just graduated, puts us in an ideal position when it comes to saying B&FC is a great place to study.

¹Eligibility applies – go to gov.uk/student-finance for full details ²Eligibility applies – go to blackpool.ac.uk/support/funding/degrees ³The complete University Guide League Tables 2024 4Rated in September 2023 and lasts for four years 5HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey Respondents 2020/21 6HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey Respondents 2020/21 7National Achievement Rate Tables (NARTS) from the Department for Education and Skills Funding Agency 2021/22

Rated in September 2023 and lasts for four years